THINGS have not exactly gone to plan for Paul Rachubka since he returned to Town - but he's very positive about the future.

The 23-year-old was hoping to figure in a second successive promotion push when he rejoined the club on a permanent basis back in November.

Town's inability since to keep clean sheets and subsequent slip down the table has left the talented play-off winning goalkeeper highly frustrated.

His conviction that manager Peter Jackson will lead a young crop of players further up the Coca-Cola ladder, however, remains unshaken.

"That's why I came back to the club, because I feel we are going to progress," said Rachubka, who spent loan spells at MK Dons and Northampton this season before swapping Charlton's Premiership colours for those of Town.

"People talk about doing well in the long-term, but the next 12 games in the League have to be the long-term for us.

"We have to take as much out of those as possible and then look to next season - and I wouldn't have been so naive to come back to the club if I didn't think we were going to do well in that time.

"The next game in football is always important and long-term is effectively what's just around the corner."

Rachubka has been one of the elder statesmen of the team this week - Luke Beckett, Chris Brandon and Danny Schofield the only others to figure who are over the age of 21.

He was delighted with last Saturday's clean sheet against Blackpool, especially as it resulted in a much-needed victory, and his personal man-of-the-match award at Tranmere meant nothing.

"We lost 3-0 and those three goals take all the shine off something like that," he said.

"You can make all the saves you like but, as a keeper, if you let one in and lose the game it's all been for nothing.

"Tranmere have shown this season that the one thing you need to do well at League I level is consistency.

"They are in the top three and have proved with their results against all opposition that they can perform well on a regular basis.

"When we play at our best, we are a match for anyone and are not far off being among the best around - but we need to do it consistently.

"We have injuries and suspensions at the moment and a lot of young lads coming into the side to do a job.

"Having played well against Blackpool and in the second half against Tranmere, it's important now we take that on into the remaining games and see what happens from there.

"It's important we show we can get results now, with the lads who are coming in and doing so well.

"It is okay showing we can beat the likes of Hull and Luton earlier in the season with a `first XI' on the pitch, but you need consistency over the whole campaign to do well and we are capable of achieving that.

"We have no reason to be scared of anyone in this League."

Rachubka was delighted with his clean sheet against Blackpool but added: "You won't see me or the defenders smiling an awful lot until we keep more blanks and start moving into the top half of the League I table.

"We need to show more of the attitude we had in the second half at Tranmere, where we didn't let them shoot, didn't let them get crosses in and didn't let them pass the ball around us.

"When you allow those things to happen it leads to goals, and that's what's so frustrating.

"For me to do my job, making saves, means I'm helping the team, but it's much better if we defend properly as a unit from front to back and I hardly have anything to do at all.

"We did that well against Blackpool and I felt we needed that clean sheet.

"We have had a change of formation and, providing we continue to score goals, I think we can work on our defending and really go somewhere in this league.

"The great thing is we are always capable of scoring goals. The teams at the bottom are struggling to score goals."

Rachubka felt Town deserved better than a 3-0 defeat at Prenton Park.

"We didn't apply oursleves at all in the first half, but we were much closer to how we should have played in the second," he said.

"With a bit more composure we could have finished some of our chances and the result would have been completely different.

"Their third goal was very disappointing, but that's what happens when you are pushing forward, applying pressure and chasing the game.

"They were quick up front and showed it, and when the lad finishes it from close range right in the bottom corner, there's not a lot you can do."

Rachubka makes his 20th consecutive appearance of the season for Town today.